Two Japanese maples greet visitors to the Winter garden. The garden springs to life in October led by the purple berries of the callicarpa bodinieri shrub. By the end of October, Camellia sasanqua will start to flower and continue until the first prolonged frost. Mahonias and sasanqua camellia begin to bloom In November. Hellebores, iris, primulas, rhododendrons, corylopsis, witch hazels, daphnes, viburnums, and honeysuckles are in flower.by Christmas.
Other unusual plants include Drimys winteri and Azaramicrophylla and serata from the southern hemisphere (our winter flowering plants usually come from Asia). Drimys winteri is a small evergreen with loose clusters of creamy white jasmine scented flowers. The bark of this tree, a native plant of South America, is said to have saved Captain Cook and his crew from scurvy.
